Assessing the impact of austerity on care jobs. The case of the Spanish long-term care system

Matus-López, Mauricio and Rodríguez-Modroño, Paula and Gálvez-Muñoz, Lina (2018): Assessing the impact of austerity on care jobs. The case of the Spanish long-term care system.

Abstract

A universal long-term care system was implemented in Spain in 2007 to address the issue of an ageing society and expand the welfare state. Nevertheless, the austerity policies adopted since the outbreak of the economic crisis have slowed and distorted its development. One of the most negative consequences has been its impact in terms of employment creation, which is far below all predictions. This study quantifies the loss in job creation by comparing the actual implementation with the expected scenario and explains the reasons for the gap. Results show that effective employment only accounts for 51.9 percent of the initially estimated employment. Almost the entire gap can be explained by two causes: delays in the allocation of services (waiting list) and the greater provision of cash allowances for informal care over care services. The case of Spain is highly relevant to the implementation of long-term care systems in other countries since it shows how austerity policies can significantly reduce the job creation benefits that these care systems are expected to have.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: ong-term care, employment, older people, Spain
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty > I38 - Government Policy ; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J4 - Particular Labor Markets > J45 - Public Sector Labor Markets

References

Albo G and Evans B (2011) Permanent austerity: The politics of the Canadian exit strategy from fiscal stimulus. Alternative Routes: A Journal of Critical Social Research 22: 7–28.

Benería L (2011) Crisis de los cuidados, migración internacional y políticas públicas. In: Carrasco C, Borderías C and Torns T (eds) El trabajo de cuidados. Historia, teoría y políticas. Madrid: Los Libros de la Catarata, pp. 359-390.

Bettio F, Plantenga J and Smith M (2013) A new vision for gender equality in Europe? In: Bettio F, Plantenga J and Smith M (eds) Gender and the European Labour Market. London and New York: Routledge.

Caïs J and Folguera L (2013) Redefining the dynamics of intergenerational family solidarity in Spain. European Societies 15(4): 557-576. DOI: 10.1080/14616696.2013.836404

Calzada I and Brooks C (2013) The Myth of Mediterranean Familism. European Societies 15(4): 514-534. DOI: 10.1080/14616696.2013.836402

Causapié P (dir.) (2011) Informe del gobierno para la evaluación de la ley de promoción de la autonomía personal y atención a las personas en situación de dependencia. Madrid: Ministerio de Sanidad, Política Social e Igualdad.

Cervera M, Herce J, López G, Rodríguez G and Sosvilla S (2009) Informe final del grupo de expertos para la evaluación del desarrollo y efectiva aplicación de la Ley 39/2006, de 14 de diciembre, de promoción de la autonomía personal y atención a las personas en situación de dependencia. Madrid: IMSERSO.

Da Roit B, González A and Moreno-Fuentes FJ (2013) The Southern European Migrant based Care Model: Long-term care and employment trajectories in Italy and Spain. European Societies 15(4): 577-596. DOI:10.1080/14616696.2013.836405

EC, European Commission (2015) The 2015 Ageing Report. Economic and budgetary projections for the 28 EU Member States (2013-2060). European Economy 3/2015. DOI:10.2765/87763

Flaquer L (2000) Las Políticas Familiares en una Perspectiva Comparada, Colección Estudios Sociales 3, Fundación La Caixa.

Gálvez L and Rodríguez-Modroño P (2013) El empleo de las mujeres en la España democrática y el impacto de la Gran Recesión. Áreas Revista Internacional de Ciencias Sociales 32: 105-123.

Gálvez L, Rodríguez-Modroño P and Domínguez-Serrano M (2011) Work and Time Use by Gender: A New Clustering of European Welfare Systems. Feminist Economics 17(4): 125-157. DOI: 10.1080/13545701.2011.620975

Gómez M, Hernández J, Martín EM and Sosvilla S (2012) La atención a la dependencia: Estimaciones del gasto presupuestario y de sus efectos macroeconómicos. Presupuesto y Gasto Público 66: 127-148.

Guillen A and León M (2011) The Spanish Welfare State in European Context. Surrey and Burlington: Ashgate.

Herce JA and Sosvilla S (1995) HERMIN Spain. Economic Modelling 12: 295-311.

Herce JA, Labeaga J, Sosvilla S and Ortega C (2006) El Sistema Nacional de Dependencia. Evaluación de sus efectos sobre el empleo. Revista del Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales 60: 167-195.

Herranz P, Martín A, Segovia M and Guerrero F (2011) Estudio comparativo de la dependencia en España según EDDES 1999 y EDAD 2008. Anales de ASEPUMA, 19/0106. IMSERSO (2018) Historical reports published 2015. http://dependencia.imserso.es/dependencia_06/documentacion/estadisticas/est_inf/index.htm

Jiménez-Martín S and Vilaplana-Prieto C (2012) The trade-off between formal and informal care in Spain. The European Journal of Health Economics 13(4): 461-490. Keck W and Saraceno C (2010) Can we identify intergenerational policy regimes in Europe? European Societies 12(5): 675–696.

León M and Pavolini E (2014) ‘Social Investment’ or Back to ‘Familism’: The Impact of the Economic Crisis on Family and Care Policies in Italy and Spain. South European Society and Politics 19(3): 353-369. DOI: 10.1080/13608746.2014.948603

León M (2002) Towards the individualization of social rights: hidden familialistic practices in Spanish social policy. South European Society and Politics 7(3): 53–80.

Lipszyc B, Sail E and Xavier A (2012) Long-term care: need, use and expenditure in the EU-27. Economic Papers 469.

López-Casasnovas G and Del-Pozo R (2010) La protección social de los problemas de dependencia en España. Documentos de Trabajo Fundación CASER 1.

Mateo-Perez MA, Martinez-Roman MA and Domenech-Lopez Y (2015) Social Services in Times of Economic and Social Crisis: The case of Spain. Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala 50: 96-110.

Matus-López M and Rodríguez-Modroño P (2014) Presiones de oferta y demanda sobre políticas formales de cuidados América Latina. Revista CLAD Reforma y Democracia 60: 103-130.

OECD (2015) Health at a Glance 2015. Paris: OECD Publishing. DOI: 10.1787/health_glance-2015-en

Palacio E, Abellán A and Esparza C (2008) Diferentes estimaciones de la discapacidad y la dependencia en España. Informes Portal Mayores 56.

Pavolini E, León M, Guillén AM and Ascoli U (2015) ‘From austerity to permanent strain? The EU and welfare state reform in Italy and Spain’, Comparative European Politics 13(1): 56-76.

Peña-Longobardo LM, Oliva-Moreno J, García-Armesto S and Hernández-Quevedo C (2016) The Spanish long-term care system in transition: Ten years since the 2006 Dependency Act. Health Policy 120(10): 1177–1182. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2016.08.012

Petmesidou M and Guillén AM (2014) Can the Welfare State as We Know It Survive? A View from the Crisis-Ridden South European Periphery. South European Society and Politics 19(3): 295-307. DOI: 10.1080/13608746.2014.950369

Petmesidou M, Pavolini E and Guillén AM (2014) South European Healthcare Systems under Harsh Austerity: A Progress–Regression Mix?. South European Society and Politics 19(3): 331–352. DOI: 10.1080/13608746.2014.949994

Pierson P (1998) Irresistible forces, immovable objects: post-industrial welfare states confront permanent austerity. Journal of European Public Policy 5(4): 539–560.

Ramírez JM (2011) Impacto sobre el empleo del Sistema de la Dependencia. Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa 71: 77-100.

Ranci C and Pavolini E (2013) Reforms in long-term care policies in Europe. Investigating institutional change and social impacts. New York: Springer. Rechel B, Grundy E, Robine JM, Cylus J, Mackenbach JP, Knai C and McKee M (2013) Ageing in the European Union. The Lancet 381(9874): 1312–1322.

Rodríguez A (dir.) (2005) Libro blanco de atención a personas en situación de dependencia en España (White Book of Dependence). Madrid: Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales.

Rodríguez A and Jiménez A (2010) La atención a la dependencia y el empleo. Potencial de creación de empleo y otros efectos económicos de la LEPA. Fundación Alternativas Documento de trabajo 159.

Rodríguez-Modroño P and Matus-López M (2016) Políticas de cuidados a la infancia y mayores dependientes. Evolución y condicionamiento pro-mercado. Revista del CLAD Reforma y Democracia 66: 99-130.

Rubery J (2015) Austerity and the Future for Gender Equality in Europe. Industrial and Labor Relations Review 68(4): 715-741.

Scheil-Adlung X and Bonan J (2012) Can the European elderly afford the financial burden of health and long-term care? Assessing impacts and policy implications. Extension of Social Security Paper 31. Geneva: OIT.

Simonazzi A and Picchi S (2013) Affordability of care and quality of work: new trends in elderly care. In: Bettio F, Plantenga J and Smith M (eds) Gender and the European Labour Market. London and New York: Routledge.

Simonazzi A (2009) Care regimes and national employment models. Cambridge Journal of Economics 33: 211–232.

Swartz K (2013) Searching for a balance of responsibilities: OECD countries’ changing elderly assistance policies. Annual Review of Public Health 34: 397-412. DOI:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031912-114505

Vilaplana C (2010) Estimación de la dependencia en España a partir de la EDAD 2008. Revista de Economía Pública 194(3): 125-175.